Calderdale is a metropolitan district and includes the towns of Halifax, Elland, Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, as well as a number of villages.
The district has a population density of 5.76 per hectare, the lowest of any local authority in West Yorkshire. In Bradford it is 14.58, 10.70 in Kirklees, 14.17 in Leeds and 9.95 in Wakefield (Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2016 Mid-year population estimates, taken from Local Government (LG) Inform).
Calderdale is one of the smallest districts in England in terms of population, but one of the largest in terms of area. Over four-fifths of the Calderdale area is described as rural by the national Census 2011 (ONS, 2011). In contrast the local authority population is described as “Urban with major conurbations” by the Government Statistical Service in its 2011 Rural-Urban Classification for Local Authority Districts in England. This is because over three quarters of the population live in urban areas.
Calderdale’s topography and its pattern of settlement have implications for the location of facilities, for transport, and for how close people are to health and other care services.
Current population
There are 209,800 people in Calderdale according to the ONS 2016 Mid-year population estimates. This is an increase of approximately 5,900 people since the 2011 Census.
Age and gender
Figure 1 shows the population structure of Calderdale using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2016 Mid-year population estimates. From this graph it can be noted that Calderdale has a similar population structure to the national picture.
The proportion of adults between the ages of 20 and 40 is significantly less than those in the 40-69 year old age groups.
In the 75 and over age group the proportion of males to females reduces, illustrating the key determinant to higher life expectancy is gender.
Figure 1: Calderdale population by age group and gender
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2016 Mid-year population estimates
Ethnicity
Table 1 shows the largest ethnic group in Calderdale is White British (86.7%), as recorded in the national Census 2011. The second largest ethnic group is Asian / Asian British (8.3%) of which the majority (6.8%) are Pakistani.
Table 1: Calderdale population by ethnic group
| Ethnic group | Number (population) | Percentage of total population |
|---|---|---|
| White | 182,787 | 89.7% |
| - White British | 176,732 | 86.7% |
| - White other | 6,055 | 3.0% |
| Asian / Asian British | 16,875 | 8.3% |
| - Pakistani | 13,904 | 6.8% |
| - Indian | 1,130 | 0.6% |
| - Bangladeshi | 574 | 0.3% |
| - Asian other | 1,267 | 0.6% |
| Mixed | 2,797 | 1.4% |
| Black / Black British | 899 | 0.4% |
| Other | 468 | 0.2% |
| Total | 203,826 | 100.0% |
Source: Office for National Statistics 2011 Census.
Age and ethnic group
Tables 2a and 2b show the population split by age and ethnicity as recorded in the 2011 Census. The Asian ethnic category accounts for 15.6% of 0 to 4 year olds and 13.4% of 5 to 14 year olds. The pensioner population is largely white with less than 3% of this age group comprising of Black and Minority Ethnicity (BME) groups.
Table 2a: Ethnic group and age group profile across Calderdale - population numbers
| Ethnic group | 0 to 4 years |
5 to 14 years |
15 to 24 years |
25 to 34 years |
35 to 44 years |
45 to 54 years |
55 to 64 years |
65 to 74 years |
75 to 84 years |
85 years and over |
Total population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,333 | 20,397 | 20,597 | 20,349 | 26,461 | 28,371 | 24,696 | 17,056 | 10,283 | 4,244 | 182,787 |
| - White British | 10,013 | 19,879 | 20,087 | 19,092 | 25,567 | 27,578 | 24,053 | 16,528 | 9,851 | 4,084 | 176,732 |
| - White other | 320 | 518 | 510 | 1,257 | 894 | 793 | 643 | 528 | 432 | 160 | 6,055 |
| Asian / Asian British | 2,017 | 3,297 | 2,772 | 3,492 | 2,438 | 1,266 | 860 | 448 | 250 | 35 | 16,875 |
| - Pakistani | 1,713 | 2,890 | 2,379 | 2,820 | 1,890 | 980 | 677 | 319 | 205 | 31 | 13,904 |
| - Indian | 107 | 115 | 108 | 328 | 207 | 110 | 85 | 47 | 19 | 4 | 1,130 |
| - Bangladeshi | 80 | 128 | 105 | 115 | 65 | 31 | 15 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 574 |
| - Asian other | 117 | 164 | 180 | 229 | 276 | 145 | 83 | 61 | 12 | 0 | 1,267 |
| Mixed | 461 | 670 | 519 | 354 | 380 | 234 | 97 | 41 | 29 | 12 | 2,797 |
| Black / Black British | 61 | 114 | 101 | 157 | 188 | 165 | 56 | 38 | 17 | 2 | 899 |
| Other | 34 | 67 | 61 | 112 | 96 | 45 | 36 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 468 |
| Total | 12,906 | 24,545 | 24,050 | 24,464 | 29,563 | 30,081 | 25,745 | 17,593 | 10,585 | 4,294 | 203,826 |
Source: Office for National Statistics 2011 Census
Table 2b: Ethnic group and age group profile across Calderdale - percentage of total population
| Ethnic group | 0 to 4 years |
5 to 14 years |
15 to 24 years |
25 to 34 years |
35 to 44 years |
45 to 54 years |
55 to 64 years |
65 to 74 years |
75 to 84 years |
85 years and over |
Percentage of total population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.1% | 83.1% | 85.6% | 83.2% | 89.5% | 94.3% | 95.9% | 96.9% | 97.1% | 98.8% | 89.7% |
| - White British | 77.6% | 81.0% | 83.5% | 78.0% | 86.5% | 91.7% | 93.4% | 93.9% | 93.1% | 95.1% | 86.7% |
| - White other | 2.5% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 5.1% | 3.0% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 4.1% | 3.7% | 3.0% |
| Asian / Asian British | 15.6% | 13.4% | 11.5% | 14.3% | 8.2% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 2.5% | 2.4% | 0.8% | 8.3% |
| - Pakistani | 13.3% | 11.8% | 9.9% | 11.5% | 6.4% | 3.3% | 2.6% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 0.7% | 6.8% |
| - Indian | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 1.3% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| - Bangladeshi | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| - Asian other | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Mixed | 3.6% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1.4% |
| Black / Black British | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.05% | 0.4% |
| Other | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 6 | 1 | 468 |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Source: Office for National Statistics 2011 Census
Religion and belief
Table 3 shows the population split by religion and belief as recorded in the 2011 Census. The majority of the population (60.6%) are Christian and 7.8% of the population are Muslim. Nearly a third of the population (30.2%) stated they had no religion.
Table 3: Religion and belief - percentage of total population in Calderdale
| Religion | Percentage of total population (2011) |
|---|---|
| Christian | 60.6% |
| Buddhist | 0.3% |
| Hindu | 0.3% |
| Jewish | 0.1% |
| Muslim | 7.8% |
| Sikh | 0.2% |
| Other religion | 0.4% |
| No religion | 30.2% |
Source: Office for National Statistics 2011 Census
Sexual orientation and gender reassignment
The 2011 Census found that there were 491 people in a registered same-sex civil partnership across Calderdale (0.3% of the population). This does not include same-sex cohabiting couples which are not recorded by the Census.
Ward level data shows a higher proportion registered in same-sex civil partnership in Calder (1.13%), Luddendenfoot (0.67%) and Todmorden (0.45%).
Nationally it has been estimated that 5 to 7% of the population is lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). If this figure was applied to Calderdale this would equate to approximately 10,300 to 14,400 LGBT people in Calderdale.
Sexual orientation is not often recorded when people access services, so there is little local information on this population.
Disability
The national Census includes an indicator of residents who identify as having any form of long-term condition which affects their ability to carry out every day activities. Table 4 shows the number of people in Calderdale who reported in the 2011 Census they had a limiting long term illness (LLTI) by age group. The number and proportion of people with LLTIs increase with age.
Table 4: Limiting long term illness by age group in Calderdale - 2011 Census
| Age group | Number of population | Percentage of population |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 15 years | 1,443 | 3.6% |
| 16 to 24 years | 1,165 | 5.5% |
| 25 to 34 years | 1,868 | 7.6% |
| 25 to 49 years | 5,316 | 11.7% |
| 50 to 64 years | 9,359 | 23.5% |
| 65 to 74 years | 6,810 | 38.9% |
| 75 to 84 years | 6,497 | 62.3% |
| 85 years and over | 3,012 | 82.4% |
| Age not stated | 1,230 | 68.4% |
| Overall | 36,600 | 18.0% |
Source: Office for National Statistics 2011 Census
The following benefits provide further indications of the number of people in the district with severe ill-health and / or disability:
- Employment support allowance (ESA), and its predecessor Incapacity benefit, are available to working age people with severe ill-health and / or disability. 7.1% (9,260) of Calderdale residents received ESA or Incapacity benefit in November 2016 (Source: NOMIS Local authority profile, accessed 6 July 2017);
- Disability living allowance (DLA), and its successor Personal independence payment (PIP), are non-means tested benefits that aim to help working age adults with some of the mobility and care costs of long term illness and disability. DLA cases are gradually being transferred to PIP via an assessment process. In November 2016 there were 11,847 (9.1%) residents aged 16 to 64 years old receiving either PIP or DLA: 8,055 residents received DLA and 3,792 residents received PIP. Of the 3,792 receiving PIP, 2,330 were new claims. (Sources: DWP Stat-Xplore, accessed 6 July 2017; Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2016 Mid year population estimates, published June 2017);
- Attendance Allowance is a non-means tested benefit paid to people aged 65 years old and over who are severely disabled. 10.2% (3,862) of people aged 65 years old and over claimed attendance allowance in November 2016 (Source: DWP Stat-Xplore, accessed 6 July 2017).
Population trends
Age
Tables 5a and 5b, and Figure 2 show how the age profile in Calderdale has changed between 1991 and 2016:
- The number of 0 to 4 year olds in 2016 is almost the same as in 1991, having dipped in the intervening period;
- The proportion of children aged 5 to 14 is currently 12.2% which is slightly higher than 12.0% recorded at Census 2011;
- The proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 is currently 12.1% which is slightly higher than 12.0% recorded at Census 2011. In 1991 there were 28,800 (14.9%) residents in this age group. In 2016 there were 25,432 (12.1%);
- There have been large increases in the proportion and the numbers of residents aged 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 since 1991, which may have implications for the residents aged 65 and over within the next ten years;
- The population aged 85 and over has increased steadily from 3,200 in 1991 to over 4,700 in 2016.
Table 5a: Calderdale residents by age group for 1991 to 2016 - population numbers
| Year | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 years | 13,500 | 12,065 | 12,906 | 13,100 |
| 5 to 14 years | 27,000 | 26,411 | 24,545 | 25,500 |
| 15 to 24 years | 23,900 | 20,697 | 24,050 | 23,200 |
| 25 to 34 years | 28,800 | 26,308 | 24,464 | 25,400 |
| 35 to 44 years | 27,800 | 29,401 | 29,563 | 26,500 |
| 45 to 54 years | 22,000 | 27,132 | 30,081 | 32,200 |
| 55 to 64 years | 18,400 | 20,389 | 25,745 | 26,000 |
| 65 to 74 years | 17,400 | 15,320 | 17,593 | 21,800 |
| 75 to 84 years | 10,900 | 10,842 | 10,585 | 11,400 |
| 85 years and over | 3,200 | 3,840 | 4,294 | 4,700 |
| All ages | 192,900 | 192,405 | 203,826 | 209,800 |
Source: 2001 Census, 2011 Census, 1991 and 2016 mid year population estimates. Mid year population estimates have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Table 5b: Calderdale residents by age group for 1991 to 2016 - percentage of population
| Year | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 years | 7.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% |
| 5 to 14 years | 14.0% | 14.0% | 12.0% | 12.0% |
| 15 to 24 years | 12.0% | 11.0% | 12.0% | 11.0% |
| 25 to 34 years | 14.9% | 14.0% | 12.0% | 12.0% |
| 35 to 44 years | 14.0% | 15.0% | 15.0% | 13.0% |
| 45 to 54 years | 11.4% | 14.1% | 14.8% | 15.0% |
| 55 to 64 years | 10.0% | 11.0% | 13.0% | 12.0% |
| 65 to 74 years | 9.0% | 8.0% | 9.0% | 10.0% |
| 75 to 84 years | 6.0% | 6.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| 85 years and over | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| All ages | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Source: 2001 Census, 2011 Census, 1991 and 2016 mid year population estimates.
Figure 2: Calderdale population by age
Source: 2001 Census, 2011 Census, 1991 and 2016 mid year population estimates
Birth rates
There are a number of measures of birth rate that are useful for service planning. These include:
- the crude live birth rate - the number of live births per 1,000 residents;
- the General Fertility Rate (GFR) - the number of live births per 1,000 females of childbearing age (calculated as those aged 15-44 years);
- the standardised fertility ratio (SFR) - the number of live births that would occur if the population in Calderdale experienced the age-specific fertility rates of England and Wales. A value greater than 100 suggests a higher than expected birth rate, while a value of less than 100 reflects a lower than expected birth rate, with 100 being the England average rate.
In 2014, there were 2,533 live births in Calderdale. Having increased steadily between 2005 and 2010 (an increase of over 10%) the number of births appears to have levelled off.
Figure 3: Number of live births in Calderdale, 2005-14
This equates to a crude live birth rate of 12.2 per 1,000 females – similar to regional and national rates (12.0 in Yorkshire and Humber, and 12.2 in England, Office for National Statistics, Vital Statistics table 1, 2014).
Figure 4: Live births per 1,000 residents 2005-07 to 2012-14 (crude rate)
However, the GFR¸ which takes into account the size of the female population of childbearing age was 66.1 per 1,000 in 2014 - higher than regional and national rates (61.9 in Yorkshire and Humber and 62.2 in England).
Figure 5: Live births per 1,000 females aged 15-44, 2005-14 (GFR)
Using the SFR, we can better compare Calderdale to the rest of England, taking into account a more detailed breakdown of the age structure locally. In 2014, the SFR in Calderdale was 110 (with 100 representing the England average), thus there were more births in Calderdale than might be expected. The SFR in Yorkshire and Humber was 101.
Ethnicity
Table 6 shows the change in the number and proportion of people in Calderdale by ethnic group between the 2001 Census and 2011 Census. The biggest increases have been from the Pakistani (4,462) and White Other (1,849) ethnic groups.
Table 6: Calderdale population by Ethnic group - 2001 Census and 2011 Census
| Ethnic Group | 2001 census | 2011 census | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population number | Percentage of population | Population number | Percentage of population | |
| White | 178,981 | 93.0% | 182,787 | 89.7% |
| - White British | 174,775 | 90.8% | 176,732 | 86.7% |
| - White other | 4,206 | 2.2% | 6,055 | 3.0% |
| Asian / Asian British | 11,237 | 5.8% | 16,875 | 8.3% |
| - Pakistani | 9,442 | 4.9% | 13,904 | 6.8% |
| - Indian | 814 | 0.4% | 1,130 | 0.6% |
| - Bangladeshi | 300 | 0.2% | 574 | 0.3% |
| - Asian other | 681 | 0.4% | 1,267 | 0.6% |
| Mixed | 681 | 0.8% | 2,797 | 1.4% |
| Black / Black British | 437 | 0.2% | 899 | 0.4% |
| Other | 204 | 0.1% | 468 | 0.2% |
| Total | 192,405 | 100.0% | 203,826 | 100.0% |
Source: Office for National Statistics 2001 Census and 2011 Census. The ethnic group 'Asian other' includes the Chinese ethnic group.
Migration
The 2015 Calderdale Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) sets out recent trends in migration to the district. Within the document, chapter 2, paragraphs 2.5 to 2.13 set out recent trends in internal migration from within the UK. Chapter 4, figures 4.4 and 4.8, and paragraphs 4.15, 4.16, 4.26 – 4.30 and 4.72, and chapter 6, figures 6.4 and 6.6 and paragraphs 6.14 and 6.18 includes information on the impact of international migration on population levels in the district. Appendix 2 includes summaries of the impact of migration and natural change on sub-areas within Calderdale.
Migration Yorkshire has produced an overview of migration to Calderdale: 
Calderdale local migration profile - December 2016 [PDF 71KB]
Disability
As mentioned in the Current population section on this page under the subtitle Disability, the national Census includes an indicator of residents who identify as having any form of long-term condition which affects their ability to carry out every day activities. Table 7 shows the number and proportion of people in Calderdale who reported in the last three national censuses that they have a limiting long-term illness. The proportion has changed very slightly between 2001 and 2011 but the number has increased.
Table 7: Calderdale population with Limiting long term illness (LLTI) - 1991 Census, 2001 Census and 2011 Census
| All ages | Working age | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of population | Percentage of population | Number of population | Percentage of population |
| 1991 | 24,080 | 12.5% | 16,925 | 12.3% |
| 2001 | 35,322 | 18.4% | 16,056 | 13.7% |
| 2011 | 36,600 | 17.9% | 17,892 | 13.6% |
Source: Office for National Statistics 1991 Census, 2001 Census, 2011 Census
Population projections
The latest district-level population projections (Figure 6) are based on Office for National Statistics 2014 population projections published in May 2016. They assume that recent trends in migration, fertility and mortality will continue. These projections indicate a period of relatively rapid population growth over the coming years, with the total district population projected to grow by around 11,000 between 2014 and 2024 (a 5.3% increase).
Figure 6: Projected population growth
Source: Census 2011, Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2014 Sub national population estimates.
It is worth emphasising that these projections are not forecasts of what will happen, since they take no account of constraints, policy, changes in migration, etc, but they are indicators of what would happen if trends continued.
Table 8 shows the largest growth is expected to occur in the older age groups, with a 29% increase in those aged 85 and over by 2024, a 11% increase in those aged 65 to 74 and a 42% increase in those aged 75 to 84. There is also expected to be a 7.6% increase in children aged 0-15.
Table 8: Calderdale projected population growth 2014-2024
| Age group | 2014: population number |
2024: population number |
Difference: population number |
Difference: percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 years | 13,200 | 12,900 | -300 | -2.1% |
| 4 to 14 years | 24,800 |
26,600 |
+1,800 | +7.6% |
| 15 to 24 years | 23,700 | 22,300 | -1,400 | -5.8% |
| 25 to 44 years | 52,600 | 53,000 | +400 | +1.0% |
| 45 to 64 years | 56,900 | 58,900 | +2,000 | +3.6% |
| 65 to 74 years | 20,500 | 22,700 | +2,200 | +10.5% |
| 75 to 84 years | 11,200 | 15,900 | +4,700 | +41.8% |
| 85 years and over | 4,600 | 6,000 | +1,400 | +28.5% |
| Total | 207,500 | 218,300 | +10,800 | +5.3% |
Source: ONS 2014 Sub national population projections. The population projections have been rounded to the nearest 100, but the percentage change is calculated on actual data.
Further analysis on projected population growth is available in Chapter 6 of 2015 Calderdale Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) .
Authors
Cath Bentley, Business Intelligence Officer, Performance and Business Intelligence team, HR, IT and Transformation, Calderdale Council;
Naomi Marquis, Public Health Intelligence Officer, Public Health, Calderdale Council.
April 2016, updated February and June 2017.